Nagoya
JapanCfa
© OpenStreetMap, CARTO
名古屋はエイターやってるかね | Nagoya's doing alright, you know
Why visit
Nagoya offers a more workaday, less polished slice of Japan than Kyoto or Tokyo, and that's the appeal. Climb the reconstructed Nagoya Castle and tour the meticulously rebuilt Honmaru Palace. Visit the Toyota Commemorative Museum to trace Japan's industrial story from looms to cars. Include the local food: hitsumabushi (eel three ways), miso katsu, and tebasaki chicken wings. Atsuta Shrine, one of Shinto's holiest sites, is hidden in a forest within the city. The SCMaglev train museum is a wonder.
When to avoid
Summer (July to August) is brutally humid, Nagoya regularly tops 35°C with dense mugginess and is one of Japan's hottest big cities. Typhoon Vera devastated the area in 1959 and the typhoon season (August to October) still brings risk. Cherry blossom and Golden Week crowds (late March to early May) push hotel prices high. Some travelers find the city less photogenic than Kyoto or Kanazawa, set expectations accordingly. Avoid driving downtown. Parking is scarce and the subway is excellent.
